Salivating After You

Security Deposit

They were at the last showing. It was at the very top; opposite it, there was another apartment. Walking in, she gasped at the view. She rolled her bottom lip in between her teeth before turning around to look at him with a smile.

"You like it?" He asked with a smile as his eyes landed on her lips, and she nodded her head vigorously. 'How much I would like the chance to bite those lips again' he thought to himself. She turned back around to look at the view before her. It was just an open space, and the magnificent kitchen was to the right. She was in awe at the site of it. She was not much of a cook, but she liked kitchens—the look of them, the structure, and the appliances that came with them.  To the side, there were stairs, and she went up the stairs to be met with a bedroom. It had a balcony vibe, but there were curtain rods on the ceiling, and across from the room, there was the restroom. The tub was huge enough to fit at least three people. She looked around the bathroom before she came out of the bathroom. Walking down the stairs, she tripped on one of the stairs, and she came tumbling down, and when she landed, she landed with her face down. She had a feeling that she had twisted something because she could feel the sharp pain that radiated across her leg all the way up to her hip. She was too embarrassed to look up. 

"Zuri?!" he called out when he was beside her. Voice thick with concern. She was so still that he was too scared to touch her. 

"Zuri?!" He called out again but louder, this time. "Zuri! This is not funny," he spoke getting down on his knees.

"No, it's not," she squeaked out. "Could you please go away?"

"Now, why would I do that?" He asked, confused. 

"Cos I'm too embarrassed?" it was meant to be a statement, but it came out as a question. There was a moment of silence, and she thought that perhaps he had actually gone out, so she rolled her body so she was facing the ceiling very slowly.

"Hi!" he spoke softly as their eyes met, and she went to cover her face with her hands, but he stopped her mid-way. "Where does it hurt?" He asked, giving her a once over. Examining her body. She shook her head, and he looked at her with stern eyes. She shrank into the ground trying to get away from his gaze.

"I asked you a question, Zuri; I expect an answer," he spoke authoritatively.

"My left leg hurts," she whispered. He looked down at the dress that was now mid-thigh. He moved so he was facing her leg and took off her shoe. He gently touched her feet and slowly caressed her calf, then up her knee, and so slowly, almost painfully, he tranced his hand on the inside of her thigh. She held her breath, waiting in anticipation. What was she waiting on? She could not tell you. She slowly opened her eyes when his hand was still for a few seconds, and she was met with yet again those grey?... Eyes?  She frowned, and in turn, he did the same. 

"What?" he asked, curious, and his face held the same confused look she had on. She just stared at him blankly. The pain is long forgotten. 

"Zuri," he called out, and as if brought back to earth, she looked at him with wide eyes. "I'd really love it if you shared what's on your mind right now?" He spoke. She was looking at his lips as he spoke. She lifted her eyes to look him in the eyes again, and she smiled. The same smile she gave him when she noticed his lips. He lifted his hand further up her thigh, and he watched with satisfaction when her smile dropped. "What's funny, Zuri?" He taunted, and by now, his hand was inches away from her panties. It had been so long since she had been touched, let alone paid attention to. He leaned down, almost laying on her, but he had one of his hands beside her head to hold himself up as the other one stayed right where it was. 

"I have met a lot of women in my lifetime, and if there is anything that I am good at, it is reading a woman. Her body language, her nonverbals, her mind, heck, even her body, but with you?  Hell, I am trying to make a move, and you find something to laugh about in the process." He whispered, looking into her eyes. She frowned at the 'a lot of women' and everything after that. She slid to opposite him and stood up, and if it wasn't for Noah, then she would have fallen again. 

"Easy," he whispered into her ear as he had his hand tight around her. She settled herself on her feet, and when she was good, she took a step forward, and he dropped his hand. A frown formed on his face. She headed towards the door, and he bit her to it so he could open the door for her. He watched her limp out of the door, and all he wanted to do was carry her down the elevator and to the office. Getting in the elevator, there was an awkward tension in the air. 

"Did I say something wrong?" He asked with a small voice. She was so deep into her thoughts that she did not even hear what he had asked, so much so that even when the elevator door pinged open, she just stood there frozen. He placed his hand at the base of her back, touching her back with the palm of his hand, and she jumped a little. Looking up at him, he had that smile that melted her heart. "Too bad," she thought to herself.

"Too bad what?" He asked and she looked panicked because that was not meant for his ears. 

"Inside voices sometimes come out," she said with a cringed face. He couldn't help but laugh as she limply sped up, walking towards his office. She smiled when his laugh echoed in the empty hallway. She reached for the door at the same time his hand came on top of hers. "Let me," he spoke and pushed the door open so she could walk in. 

"Are you sure you don't want me to take you to the doctor? It could be broken," he said as he watched her sit down. She shrugged it off with her hand when he came around to her view. 

"So, what do you think?" He asked carefully. Hopefully? She sensed, but it could just be that she was reading too much into it. A guy like him would not be good for her life. A guy who knows "a lot of women" and all the hopes she had of being dirty with him went out the window the moment he spoke those three words.

"I think that it's absolutely gorgeous. I would like to pay for two years up front," she spoke professionally. He was taken aback by the tone that she used; she was just smiling a minute ago, and now she was all serious. He shook his head to get himself into the business mode. "Of course, we can do two years up front." He spoke.

"Could I leave you with a security deposit for now? I have yet to set some things straight but I do love the place." She asked not sure if this was allowed or not. 

"Of course, Zuri, we can do that. We can do whatever you want." He spoke softly again. She liked the way her name rolled off his tongue, but then she also liked the way Malik said her name, and look where that got her. He watched as she frowned, for a split second and if he was not watching her as intentionally as he was, he would've probably not seen it. 

"Something troubling you?" He asked concerned. He leaned forward and she got that feeling again, like she was the only one in the world and there was nothing more beautiful as she was. But she has been here before. 'It's not the same experience but it's the same feeling.' She thought to herself. She reached into her bag and pulled out an envelope. She placed the envelope on the table and she slid it over to him. It almost gave her a flashback and she had to blink a few times to prevent the tears from falling. She was stronger than this. It has already been six months and while that might not be enough time for her to heal, it sure is enough time for her to stop crying over a man whose love has gone somewhere else. He leaned back on his seat and eyed the object curiously. He looked at her and then looked at the thick piece of paper. 

"Oh, it's the security deposit. Three months' worth of rent. Surely that would be enough for now no?" She asked a bit unsure.

"You do not have to do that right now, we can do it when you return. I'll hold the apartment for you," he spoke as he slid it back to her. She looked at it and back at him.

"But how do you know I will be back?" She asked.

"I don't. I just trust that you would." He said as if it was the most obvious thing to say. 

"This is how you conduct business? Or is it the company policy?" She asked. She did not like what was happening because at that moment, she felt like he was giving her special treatment and she knew this how? She had called about a dozen properties and it seemed that they all had the same rules. Even when she called here, she was told the same thing.

"This is how I conduct business," he spoke, amused. But his tone left no room for objections.